Kevin Keegan ended his three-year spell with Hamburger SV in Germany and returned to England in a shock £400,000 move to Southampton. Lawrie McMenemy's new signing was the transfer surprise of the season. Keegan was the current European Footballer of the Year and rated as one of the best strikers in the world, while Southampton were still struggling to establish themselves as a First Division side. But this move showed that Southampton had ambition and were determined to compete with the best.

European football

Brian Clough's side made up for disappointment in the League by retaining the European Cup and becoming the first team to have won more European Cups than league championships. Arsenal faced Valencia CF of Spain in the Cup Winners Cup final, days after their FA Cup final loss. It finished goalless after extra time, and Arsenal lost the penalty shootout after misses from Liam Brady and Graham Rix.

Deaths

1 March 1980 – Dixie Dean, 73, legendary Everton striker who scored 60 league goals in the 1927-28 season; died on 1 March after suffering a heart attack while watching Everton's game against Liverpool at Goodison Park.